Device for trimming paper and the like



Aug. 31, 1 937. SAHL 2,091,337

DEVICE FOR TRIMMING PAPER AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 21, 1936 Patented Aug. 31, 1937 7 DEVICE FOR TRIMBIING PAPER AND THE LIKE Harry L. Sahl, Boston, Mass.

Application August 21, 1936, Serial No. 97,182

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in cutting tools and particularly to a device for trimming wall paper and the like.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple effective device for trimming the edge of wall paper and other forms of thin sheet material usually cut or trimmed with a knife.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device utilizing thin fiat safety razor blades of the various typeseasily obtainable, and which may be easily and quickly inserted therein and removed therefrom as required.

Another object of the invention is to provide an antifriction member, preferably a grooved roller having narrow peripheral portions, as a means for smoothing out certain types of sheet material in advance of the blade, for aiding in guiding the device during the cutting operation, and for preventing the holder from contacting with the material to be cut and in the case of wall paper preventing the paste from squeezing from said paper at the edges thereof during the cutting operation.

The invention consists in a device for trimming and cutting wall paper and like sheet material as set forth in the following specification and particularly as pointed out in the claims thereof.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 represents a front elevation of a cutting tool embodying my invention and having a double edge type safety razor blade embodied therein.

Fig. 2 is an .end elevation of the device.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a clamping plate for a double edge type razor blade.

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of a portion of a holder embodying my invention, but illustrating a single edge type safety razor blade mounted thereon.

Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the device illustrated in Fig. 4 viewed from the left of said figure.

Fig. 6 is a detail view illustrating an alternate method of mounting the grooved roller upon the holder.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

In the drawing, referring particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, 1 represents a holder, preferably constructed of wood and provided with a handle 8. A front face 9 of the holder 1 is fiat, and in the operation of the device is adapted to engage a straight edge of well-known type utilized by paper hangers and constituting a guide for the device. The front face 9 is provided with a shallow recess ID for receiving a backing plate II, a safety razor blade I2 and a clamping plate l3, the front or outer face of said clamping plate aligning with the front face 9 of the holder 1 and in effect constituting a continuation thereof. The clamping plate l3 has two pins l4 rigidly secured thereto and projecting rearwardly therefrom, and 5 said pins pass through a slot l5 provided in the blade l2, through holes l6 provided in the backing plate I I, and through holes I! provided in the holder 1, and said clamping plate, blade and backing plate are all securely clamped to said .10 holder by means of thumb nuts I8 which have screw-threaded engagement with the pins at the rear of the holder. In the form of the device illustrated in Fig. 1 a double edge type safety razor blade is utilized and approximately one-half of .15 one cutting edge of said blade protrudes from between the clamping plate l3 and backing plate II, and is available for cutting purposes at one time. It is evident, however, that as the cutting edge of the blade becomes dulled, said blade may be repositioned upon the holder to permit the remaining portions of both cutting edges of the blade to be utilized until it is finally necessary to replace the blade.

In performing the cutting operation the device is pulled across the surface of the sheet material represented at A in the direction of the arrow a, Fig. 1, it being understood that said material rests upon a table or other suitable form of support not illustrated in the drawing. Mounted upon the holder 1 in advance of the cutting blade I2 is a bracket I9 upon which a grooved guide roller 20 is rotatably mounted. The bracket I9 is rigidly secured to the under edge of the holder 1 by means of a screw-thread- 35 ed spur 2| or any other desired means. The roller 20 is provided for the purpose of engaging the sheet material A in advance of the cutting blade l2, thereby preventing any portion of the under edge of the holder 1 from rubbing over the 40 surface of the sheet material. The roller 20, furthermore, in the case of certain types of sheet material, will smooth out wrinkles and uneven places in said materials as the roller passes thereover, thereby increasing the effectiveness of the 45 device. In the case of wall paper, where the paste is applied to the rear surface of the paper and the latter is folded upon itself before it is trimmed, it is important that the paste shall not be squeezed from between the layers of paper 50 during the operation of trimming the margin therefrom. The grooved roller 20, therefore, is provided with narrow peripheral portions 22 which engage correspondingly narrow portions of the paper and do not cause any paste to be 55 forced outwardly beyond the edges of the paper. Finally, the roller 20 acts to guide and steady the device as it is moved across the sheet material during the cutting operation, thereby making it possible to obtain a clean, sharp, straight cut.

In the operation of the device, when a straight cut is desired, a straight edge, well known in the art, is utilized and the device is pulled across the surface of the material with the front faces of the holder 1 and clamping plate l3 contacting with the surface of the straight edge. As the device is moved over the surface of the material sufficient pressure is applied to the device to force the cutting blade through said material and a clean straight out is produced.

In Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawing I have illustrated a modified embodiment of my invention in which a single edge type of safety razor blade 23, well known in the art, is mounted in the recess [0 of the holder 1 between a backing plate 24 and a clamping plate 25. A pin 26 projects rearwardly from the clamping plate 25 through openings 21 and 28 provided in the blade 23 and backing plate 24 respectively, and through an opening 29 provided in the holder 1; and said clamping plate 25, blade 23 and backing plate 24 are all clamped securely to said holder by means of a thumb nut 30 which has screw-threaded engagement with the pin 26 at the rear of the holder. A short pin 3| projects rearwardly from the clamping plate 25 through a slot 32 provided at the end of the blade 23, through an opening provided in the backing plate 24 and into a hole 33 provided in the holder; and said pin 3| co-operates with the pin 25 in positioning the blade 23 upon said holder. The position of the blade 23 may be changed end for end upon the holder 1 in order that the entire cutting edge of said blade may be utilized.

In cutting or trimming certain kinds of sheet materials, where a curved out is desired, it may be advantageous to provide the holder 1 with a grooved roller mounted upon a bracket that will swivel upon said holder. Referring, therefore, to Fig. 6, a bracket 34 is secured to a holder 1 by means of a screw 35 in a manner which will enable said bracket to rotate freely upon the holder, and a grooved roller 20 provided with narrow peripheral portions 22 is rotatably mounted upon said bracket. This structure will enable 5 the user of the device to effectively maintain the guiding face of the device in contact with the curved edge of a pattern that may be utilized in obtaining the curved cut desired.

I claim:

1. A device for trimming wall paper and the like comprising a holder adapted to be grasped by the hand, means to clamp a cutting blade to a face of said holder, and a roller provided with relatively narrow spaced apart peripheral portions mounted upon the holder in advance of the cutting blade and adapted to contact with the material to be cut during the cutting operation,

whereby said holder is prevented from contacting with said material.

2. A device for trimming wall paper and the like comprising a holder adapted to be grasped by the hand, and provided with a face adapted to engage a patternduringthe cutting operation, said face having a recess therein for receiving a cutting blade, means to clamp said blade to said holder in said recess, and an anti-friction member mounted upon the holder and embodying therein relatively narrow spaced apart work engaging portions-positioned in advance of said blade and co-operating therewith to prevent said holder from contacting with the material to be cut.

3. A device for trimming wall paper and the like comprising a holder adapted to be grasped by the hand, and provided with a face adapted to engage a pattern during the cutting operation, said face having a recess therein for receiving a cutting blade, means to clamp said blade to said holder in said recess, and a grooved roller provided with relatively narrow peripheral portions mounted upon said holder in advance of the cutting blade and adapted to contact with the material to be cut during the cutting operation, whereby said blade holder is prevented from contacting with said material.

4. A device for trimming wall paper and the like comprising a holder adapted to be grasped by the hand, means to clamp a cutting blade to a face of said holder, a bracket mounted to swivel upon said holder in advance of the cutting blade, and a grooved roller mounted upon said bracket and adapted to contact with the material to be cut during the cutting operation, whereby said holder is prevented from contacting with said material.

. HARRY L. SAm. 

